Lecture 7 Pronouns I Erik Smitterberg PhD, Docent, Senior Lecturer in English Linguistics Department of English erik.smitterberg@engelska.uu.se A1/T1/HS1 Grammar Autumn/Fall Term 2015
The Functions of Pronouns Pronouns function as heads of noun phrases or as determiners in noun phrases Head His phone is not working; try mine. Determiner mine is used instead of my phone to avoid repetition Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 2
Subject and Object Forms of Personal Pronouns S V Od He said that I won the race S V Od... that I won the race S V Od A Susan helped him a lot S V Oi Od Tony gave her a clue S V Od A Susan completed the task without him PP... without him preposition complement Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 3
Reflexive Pronouns Reflexive pronouns refer back to the subject of a clause Can make a verb reflexive But a verb may be reflexive He cut himself on the knife in one language but not in another! Used after prepositions in Hon koncentrerade sig på some expressions uppgiften (reflexive) I will keep this to myself She concentrated Ø on the task (not reflexive) Can provide emphasis (=själv): I tied my shoes myself But Swedish and English may differ in place adverbials: Han har inga pengar på sig He has no money on him Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 4
Possessive Pronouns I: Function Possessive pronouns often express ownership: Is that his book? No, it s hers No apostrophe with forms in -s! Special cases: Own must be preceded by a possessive pronoun or a genitive noun phrase, not by the indefinite article Jag vill ha en egen måne I want /my own moon/a moon of my own/ Possessive pronouns are used in some expressions with body parts etc. (see handout for Lecture 7) Han bröt benet He broke his leg Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 5
Possessive Pronouns II: Dependent vs. Independent Forms Dependent possessive pronouns are determiners in noun phrases Independent possessive pronouns are heads in noun phrases NP independent NP dependent I left my bike at home can I borrow yours? determiner head head Unlike Swedish, English has different forms for dependent and independent possessive pronouns! This is my bike This bike is mine Det här är min cykel Den här cykeln är min Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 6
Preparatory Subjects I: Existential There I Existential there is used as a preparatory subject in constructions that express some type of existence Structure: there + verb that implies existence (be, sit, stand, remain, occur, seem to be, etc.) + noun phrase The noun phrase is an extraposed subject there verb extraposed subject: NP Det finns... etc. There are huge problems with pollution in our society There remains a clear bias in favour of politicians there verb extraposed subject: NP Problem: Swedes sometimes use it instead of there here because det is used in Swedish Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 7
Preparatory Subjects II: Existential There II In constructions with existential there as preparatory subject, the number of the extraposed subject determines the number of the verb in Standard English plural verb singular verb extraposed subject NP There are huge problems with pollution in our society plural head extraposed subject NP There remains a clear bias in favour of politicians singular head Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 8
Preparatory Subjects III: It It is used as a preparatory subject when the extraposed subject is a clause S V Ps That the winter of 2010 was very snowy is true It is true that the winter of 2010 was very snowy extraposed subject: that-clause S V Ps To explain this passage in the book is difficult It is difficult to explain this passage in the book extraposed subject: to-infinitive clause Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 9
Interrogative Pronouns I: Direct and Indirect Questions Interrogative pronouns introduce many wh-questions: Direct: Who has eaten the pie? Indirect: She asked us who had eaten the pie In Swedish, a redundant som is often inserted when direct questions become indirect questions: Vilka av lärarna talar brittisk engelska? Hon frågade vilka av lärarna som talade brittisk engelska No word corresponding to Swedish som is inserted when English direct questions become indirect questions! Which of the teachers speak British English? She asked which of the teachers Ø spoke British English Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 10
Interrogative Pronouns II: Who Refers to people Cannot be followed by of: Vilken av pojkarna lånade boken? Which of the boys borrowed the book? Has the genitive form whose (not who s!): Whose book is this? Od S Has the object form whom: Whom did you meet? In informal English, who often replaces whom except immediately after a preposition: To whom did she give the letter? Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 11
What: Interrogative Pronouns III: What and Which Used mainly about things Used when there is an open choice: Which: What languages do you speak? Used about both people and things Used only when there is a limited choice: Which of these languages do you speak? Swedes have a tendency to overuse which because it looks like vilken/vilket/vilka Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 12
Swedish Generic De(m) Som and Den Som in English var och en som singular verb Den som åker till Kina bör besöka den kinesiska muren Whoever goes Anyone who goes People who go Those who go to China should see the Great Wall He who: only in proverbs etc. Them who plural verb The one who They who Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 13
Swedish Generic Man in English One: formal, must include the speaker One should take care of oneself and one s investments You: informal, often used for advice/instructions You take a right to get to the church We: must include the speaker We eat crayfish in August in Sweden apostrophe! They/people: must exclude the speaker They mixed their wine with water in Ancient Rome The passive The criminal is believed to be armed and dangerous Erik Smitterberg, PhD, Docent, Dept. of English 14